Qualcomm Technologies EE and Huawei today announced the companies have successfully completed inter-company interoperability testing of LTE Category 9 connectivity with 3-carrier downlink aggregation and download speeds of up to 410 Mbps. Testing was conducted using QTI’s Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 810 processor with integrated LTE-Advanced next-generation modem, and Huawei’s commercial infrastructure solution, across EE’s LTE-A ‘4G+’ network. Category 9 Carrier Aggregation allows EE to aggregate 20MHz of 1800MHz spectrum with another 20MHz of 2.6GHz, and a third carrier of 15MHz of 2.6GHz.

QTI continues to be a leader in driving the commercialization of faster downloads, speedy application performance and reliable connectivity across greater coverage areas enabled by LTE Category 9 connectivity. This test becomes the first announcement of a successful completion of LTE Category 9 interoperability testing with major solutions providers and operators in Europe. Completion of this LTE Category 9 testing further demonstrates the superior end-to-end experience delivered by higher speeds and 3-carrier downlink aggregation.

“We are excited to work with EE and Huawei in ushering in the latest evolution of wireless connectivity,” said Enrico Salvatori, senior vice president & president of Qualcomm Europe. “Transitioning from Category 6 to Category 9 LTE-A connectivity will mean 1.5x faster peak download speeds, swift application response times, reliable connectivity and connections to the fastest networks.”

“Working closely with the excellent teams at Qualcomm Technologies and Huawei on the next generation LTE Category 9 connectivity enables us to make full use of our spectrum holdings, and continue to offer world class network capabilities, innovating to stay one step ahead of operators in Europe,” said Tom Bennett, director of network services and devices at EE.

“Use of our remaining 15MHz of 2.6GHz spectrum enables both our fastest speeds and an increase in capacity across our network and this successful testing phase is a big step forward. We look forward to demonstrating this at Wembley Stadium early next year.”

“Huawei is dedicated to improving network capability across the UK – delivering fast speeds and more reliable connection to all mobile devices,” said Yang Chaobin, chief marketing officer of Huawei Wireless Network Business Unit. “This test is a truly groundbreaking moment as we move towards the 5G era. This LTE Category 9 interoperability test is the first successfully announced trial of its kind in Europe and we’re proud to be working alongside Qualcomm Technologies and EE to drive future networks.”